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Thursday, April 23, 2015

This post is sponsored by Hill’s. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Hill’s® Science Diet® Perfect Weight 10 Week Turnaround, but 'Pixel Blue Eyes: Her Tails of Adventure' only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article.

Keeping in shape and making sure I am at my optimal #PerfectWeight is a top priority for me and Mommy at all times. Healthy weight for your pet adds to a better quality of life and a possible higher life expectancy, and that is very important. A healthy pet is a happy pet!

We agree with our friends at Hill's Pet, makers of Hill's Science Diet, that consistency is a key factor in a pet's life. We need and crave routine! And that routine should not be changed if something changes around us. So, if Mommy has to go away and I am watched by a family member, they still feed me at the same time each day. Even when we are away on vacation or on a business trip together, we do not deviate from the food we eat, our feeding routine or our schedule. Let me give you an example...

Our family went on a big beach trip this year and we travelled for two days to get there. In addition to my doggie camera, extra harnesses, lots of duckies and a couple of hats, Mommy made additional preparations for how us girls would be fed while on the road. In preparation for the trip, all our food was prepared/packed special beforehand specifically for the travelling portion of the trip. We packed a "doggy bag" contained the needed bowls, measuring scoops, etc that were needed for each meal for each dog (there's four of us girl dogs).

We are little dogs that love to eat, so we get four mini meals a day that (when you include our allowed treats) add up to our total food intake for the day. Mommy and Grammy both have alarms on their cell phones programmed in to our feeding times. Grampy kept watch for the closest places we could stop and Auntie headed up the food distribution with Mommy at each meal time. We never missed a meal time on the road!

It was also important that we not miss potty breaks and daily exercise. That was easily remedied on the road by stopping at rest areas with pet friendly sections, and of course staying at pet friendly hotels allowed us the chance to run free in designated areas.

**Always remember that a measurement of food is not a random scoop of loose food. Always refer to either your vet's instructions or the instructions on the food bag/can/container for the proper amount of food to give your pet to ensure they are not getting either too much food or too little food.**

Once at the beach house, it was "business as usual" for us pups. We figured out where the kitchen was pretty fast, so when we heard our food alarm go off, all four of us would come barreling in to stand and wait for our meals. Here we are looking all cute and "doe-eyed" for Mommy while she prepared our lunch.

Mommy sneaks us one little lick of her fingers on occasion when preparing meals. It's hardly anything, but makes us feel special. Some people give a lot of treats to make a dog feel special, but too much can add up to an unhealthy weight. Mommy always thinks on the fact that more than 50% of pets today are overweight to some degree, so she is very careful what she gives me.

While staying in the hotel and while staying at the beach, we went to bed at the normal time, got up at the same time, and always made time to play inside or outside or go exploring (my personal favorite)...all in an effort to keep our routine as normal as possible. While it might sound like a lot of extra effort, if it is part of your everyday routine, making a few adjustments for vacation or other changes shouldn't be a big deal.

Here are some ways you can keep a consistent and fun routine for your pet:

1. Set An Alarm!
Set the feeding time(s) for your pets on your watch or cell phone to ensure you don't miss a feeding time no matter what your daily activity schedule might entail.

3. Check out the cool Hill's "Tips and Tools" page that has excellent information on various kinds of exercises for your cat or dog, including levels of effort from light to 'resistance' and 'enhanced' plus fun things like 'ab' workouts for your cat!

Just remember that a healthy pet is a happy pet. But take any kind of a new exercise or weight loss plan slow and steady for both you and your pet. If your pet has any kind of a weight issue, especially a little dog like me and my sisters, Hills has an excellent new Adult Perfect Weight for Small and Toy Breeds that could help. It can be purchased at Pet360 or at your veterinarian's office.

ENTER TO WIN!!

I have some exciting news to share...For families that need a little help kick starting their pet’s weight loss, Hill’s Science Diet has a sweepstakes going on where you can enter to win 10 Weeks of Perfect Weight pet food! Enter the sweepstakes today http://blogp.ws/1Ded0VZ for your chance to win friends. Don't wait another minute...go enter now!